Ginger is a spice which may result in allergy symptoms in sensitised individuals.

Ginger Allergy Test: Allergen Exposure

Ginger is a flowering plant whose root is widely used as a spice, and in traditional or folk medicine. It is a member of the same family as turmeric, galangal and cardamom. Ginger was one of the first spices to arrive in Europe via the spice trade, and was used by the ancient Greek and Roman civilisations.

Today, it is grown across Southern Asia, with India producing over half of the global annual crop, as well as in Latin America and Africa.

Ginger is commonly used as a kitchen spice and is prized for its hot, fragrant flavour. The young roots may be pickled or candied to be eaten as a snack. The root can also be steeped to produce ginger tea, or made into wine.

Grated or ground ginger is a common ingredient of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and many South Asian cuisines and is primarily used for flavoring seafood, meat, and vegetarian dishes. It is a frequent constituent of curry powders and pastes.

Powdered dry ginger root is typically used as a flavoring for recipes such as gingerbread, cookies, crackers and cakes, ginger ale, and ginger beer.

Pickled ginger, accompanying sushi, has the root sliced paper-thin and pickled in a vinegar solution.

Traditional therapeutic uses of ginger include the treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms and as a counter-irritant and an aphrodisiac. The efficacy of ginger has been documented for rheumatism and musculoskeletal disorders. More than three-quarters of a group of arthritis patients experienced, to varying degrees, relief of pain and swelling following treatment with ginger.

Ginger Allergy Test: Allergen Description

No allergens present in ginger have yet been characterised to date.

Ginger Allergy Test: Potential Cross-Reactivity

An extensive cross-reactivity among the different individual species of the genus could be expected but has not yet been observed.

Ginger Allergy Test: Clinical Experience

Ginger may uncommonly induce symptoms of food allergy in sensitised individuals. Symptoms include dermatitis, contact dermatitis, eczema, and pompholyx eczema.

Allergic reactions have been reported to inhalation of ginger dust.

Although tests for ginger allergy have predominantly been for immediate hypersensitivity reactions, a greater prevalence of ginger allergy is recorded using tests for delayed allergy reactions. In a study of 55 patients with suspected contact dermatitis, patch test results were most common with ginger (7), nutmeg (5), and oregano (4).

In another study of 1,000 patients investigated for occupational skin disease, 5 displayed occupational allergic contact dermatitis (to the hand or finger) from spices. The causative spices were garlic, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and clove.

Other reactions

Anecdotal reports suggest that excessive ingestion of ginger may cause irritation of the urethra.

As with a number of other common herbal remedies, such as feverfew, garlic, ginkgo, and asian ginseng, ginger may increase the risk of bleeding during surgical procedures or potentiate the effects of warfarin therapy.